William henry stevens



W H. STEVENS BOOT 0R SHOE.

10.387,119. Patented July s1, 1888.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'ILLIAM HENRY STEVENS, OF LEIOESTER, COUNTY OE LEIOESTER, ENGLAND.

BOOT OR SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,119, dated July 31, 188B.

Application tiled January 24, 1888. Serial No. 261,814.

(No model.) Patented in England September 28, 1885, No. 11,518.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY STE- VENS, of Leicester, in the county of Leicester, England, a subject of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boot-s for Foot-Ball and other Purposes,)for which I have received patent in Great Britain, No.11, 518, September 28, 1835,) of which the following` is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specitication, in explaining its nature.

In playing foot-ball and other similar games it often happens that the ankles are seriously injured by being kicked; and my invention comprises a boot or shoe having ankleprotectors of suitable material of ashape to cover and protect the ankle-bones and united to the leg of the boot 01 shoe.

In the drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of a shoe of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail view in section of a slight modification.

There are a number of Ways of carrying my invention into effect, and in Figs. 1 and 2 I represent the boot or shoe having a hole in each quarter at the ankle-section, into each of which is inserted a protector, a, consisting of a circular piece of sole1eather formed dish shaped and placed with the curved surface outward, bringing the concave side inward, and thus forming shields or guards of a hard substance wliicli,when the shoe is worn, cover the anklebones and prevent a blow being delivered directly upon them. I prefer in this construction that the edges of the protectors be tapered and inserted between the quarter and the lining and united thereto by stitches a. There may also be placed in each cavity a pad, ci', of wool or other similar yielding or iieXible material.

Instead of making the protectors of hard leather they may be made of hard india-rubber, gutta-percha, or other similar material,

or of metal or Wood, or of any other suitable substance.

In Fig. 3 I have represented the protectors as secured to the leg of the boot or shoe between the lining and the quarter, and when this construction is used they maybe held in position or secured to the boot-leg by means of stitching or by riveting or in any other desired way; and the protectors may be putin in fiat form, and then, with the vamp, may be blocked to bring the protectors and upper to the desired shape.

It will be seen that when the boot is on the foot the hard protectors completely cover and protect the ankle, and that any blow received thereon will not be communicated through to the ankle, but will be distributed about the edge thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesl. As an improved article of manufacture, the boot for football and other purposes, having ankle-protectors of a hard substance united or secured to the leg of the boot at a point to cover or protect the ankle-joint, as and forthe pu rpose's described.

2. The boot or shoe having a leg of (ieXible material, and two disk-shaped ankleprotectors fastened to said leg in a position to cover or shield the ankle, and having their cavities toward the inside of the boot or shoe, substantially as described.

3. The boot or shoe having the disk-shaped ankle-protector a, and a tiexible or yielding padding upon the inner side thereof, as and for the purposes described.

VILLIAM HENRY STEVENS.

lVi tn esses:

W. P. SANsoM,

lllowmacre Hill, Belgrane. RICHARD E. HEIcH,

3 St. Santoni-s Hill, Leicester. 

